REGIONAL WOMEN’S LOBBY FOR PEACE, SECURITY AND …



REGIONAL WOMEN’S LOBBY FOR PEACE, SECURITY AND JUSTICE IN SOUTHEAST EUROPE

Press Release

March 3, 2010

Tirana, Albania - The Regional Women’s Lobby for Peace, Security and Justice in Southeast Europe held a strategic meeting of its Steering Committee in Tirana from March 1 – 3 2010. The meeting was used to further institutionalize the Lobby’s structure and functioning and discuss key policy issues and recent political developments in the region.

The Lobby expresses concern over the weakening influence of women politicians and leaders in the region and calls on EU and local leadership to focus on the empowerment of women in democratization processes in the region. We also call on EU member states, governments and the European Commission to ensure full support for women’s participation in decision-making and development in the region.

The region of Southeast Europe is in the midst of a difficult economic crisis. Solutions to this global and regional crisis must include a role of women. The regional cooperation of women in all sectors is critical for the economic crisis to be overcome and contribute substantially to speed up EU integration.

In order to speed up regional cooperation and the EU integration process in the region we call on the EU to liberalize visa regimes for Albania, Bosnia and Kosovo and to ensure that bilateral conflicts do not lead to deadlock of individual EU integration processes.

RWL calls on all actors in the region to strengthen regional cooperation through constructive policies as well as the promotion of good interethnic relations and tolerance.

In the year 2010, Southeast Europe will see elections in Bosnia, northern Kosovo and Montenegro. Once more the RWL calls on women politicians to support each other’s candidacies and for all political parties to respect electoral gender quotas and fully integrate women on their lists. This issue is especially important in light of the non-implementation of the electoral gender quota in Albanian 2009 elections. Also, RWL supports the demands of Kosovo and Montenegrin women for changes to the electoral system that would provide more opportunities for women candidates.

RWL supports the ICO’s and Kosovo’s government strategy for the integration of the north of Kosovo into Kosovo institutions and calls on Kosovo government to facilitate the full participation of the Serbian community.

Subsequent to the discussions during the meeting, the RWL calls for women politicians in Albania to find common ground and help stabilize the political situation and speed up EU integration.

Taking all the above regional factors into account, the RWL calls on all UN member states to quickly and efficiently establish the new composite gender entity in accordance with the UN Secretary General’s proposal. RWL reiterates its strong concern that member states come forward and ensure that this gender entity is fully financially supported in the region and that the UN’s work on gender equality in our countries of Southeast Europe is strengthened. The women’s movement for 30 years has been the key to ensuring that the work on gender equality in our region is pushed forward and it is our goal that the new agency recognizes this and works in accordance with the role of women in the region.

Subsequently, the UN’s presence and programming in Albania, Bosnia, Kosovo, Macedonia, Montenegro and Serbia is critical and we call on our governments as member states of the UN to ensure full support of the new Gender Entity. Its contribution to building peace and security in Southeast Europe is critical, especially as a strengthened presence including a focus on women’s political leadership.

Contact – Ana Lukatela, RWL Coordinator

coordinator@



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Founded in 2006, the Regional Women's Lobby for Peace, Security and Justice in Southeast Europe brings together women politicians and activists from the region who are committed to the goals of deepening human security, promoting women's rights and participation in decision-making processes and breaking barriers of ethno-centric politics. The Lobby has a total of 27 members from the seven different countries of Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Kosovo, Macedonia, Montenegro and Serbia.

The RWL's activities focus on lobbying and advocacy at the local, national and regional levels through meetings with politicians, seminars, roundtables, press releases and other actions. The RWL is open to requests for information, media inquiries and expertise and advising on a wide range of issues related to Women, Peace and Security in SEE.

Steering Committee Members:

Marieta Zace, Albania

Memnuna Zvizdic, Bosnia

Gordana Sobol, Croatia

Edita Tahiri, Kosovo (Chair)

Irina Pockova, Macedonia

Nada Drobnjak, Montenegro

Sonja Biserko, Serbia

Advisory Board Members:

Elisabeth Rehn

Ursula Plassnik

Doris Pack

Luisa Morgantini

Mirjana Feric-Vac

Ana Maria Gomes

Osnat Lubrani

Franziska Brantner

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UNSC Resolution 1325 “Urges Member States to ensure increased representation of women at all decision-making levels…”

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